Kill Joys


You people are such a bunch of kill-joys! When I wrote the initial post on the preach-off poll, I was looking forward to writing a bang-up sermon, presenting it and letting you see just how good a preacher I am. And at first the polls supported me. Then as more of you began to vote, the trend completely reversed and you were saying “no,” don’t do the preach-off. Worst than that, most of your reasons for not doing the preach-off were irritatingly insightful. This completely ruined my opportunity to wallow around in the flesh and make me look good.

The upside though, is the fact that the whole adventure got shut down well before I bought my purple suit with the black stripes and light purple lapels, to go along with the purple shirt with a black collar (edged in gold). The whole outfit, including the white shoes was going to set me back about $950. So I guess I saved a couple of bucks in the whole thing anyway.

But more than that, I believe we stumbled onto something of an illustration for an argument against tithing. Yes, that’s right - against tithing.

Let’s suppose that instead of preaching a sermon, I, as the pastor of a church, went to the congregation and told them that I wanted to do a certain thing, say – build a day care facility (The Melvinite Center of Magnificent Childhood Development and Equipping to Take Over the World). I further explained that we needed some money to do that, so I am going to use the church funds (which are quite plentiful since almost all of the congregants have been convinced through dubious exegesis that they must tithe or suffer the curses of God on them and their children) and borrow some more money from the bank. Most of the congregants don’t agree with the idea but hey, I’m the pastor and it’s not their concern what I do with the money since it is God’s tithe and not theirs. Because I am in no way held accountable, I go running down a road that neither God nor the congregants are particularly eager to have me go.
Rewind.

This time I’m the pastor and people give only as God moves on their hearts to give. And I expect them to give only as God would have them give. I never quote Malachi, chapter 3, I never tell them they are robbing God, and I never promise them supernatural blessings if they give sacrificially.

Instead, I explain to them what I believe God would have us do. If they agree with it, they can give. If they disagree with it, they can refuse to give.

Now their giving is very similar to the poll we just completed. But in this case a “yes” translates to contributions and a “no” is the same as keeping your purse shut.

Guess what? If God moves on their hearts to not give (Ezra 1:1, 5) and they are obedient to God (as I, as a good pastor have consistently encouraged them to be), then the church doesn’t go hiking down that day care road. Instead, we are kept on track. Either way, I’m going to be really careful about what I take to the congregation, ‘cause these jokers just might turn me down! Instead, I will actually pray to God about things, sincerely, and make sure I’m reading Him right. After all, if He wants it, he can and will move on the hearts of the families with no problem.
True, we might never move out of the dance room at the YWCA. And we may never get to be any larger than twenty families. And we may never have anything that resembles a big bookstore selling my books alongside T. Dexter’s books. And worse than that, I may never be able to quit my job and “do ministry” full time (Sigh. And no SR22 either. Not even a Liberty XL2 which is one fourth the cost of the SR22). But I digress.

When we walk by faith and give in faith, we are dependent on and obedient to the Spirit of God. When we tithe, we are dependent on our check book balancing and budgeting skills. When we give in faith, the elders are dependent on God. When we tithe, the elders are dependent on a bank to secure a loan for the rest of the money.

Tithing makes giving nothing more than paying a bill (phone bill - $78, electric bill - $159, car payment - $234, tithes and offerings - $120). Giving as God would lead becomes an exercise, a daily exercise, in walking in faith. Which one do you think generates more growth in the individual? Which approach honestly allows you to give cheerfully?

http://www.pulpit-pimps.org/archives/2007/04/30/kill-joys